…wow, this is very interesting. If Brooks'report is untrue, my full apologies to Stralman.

…i also wonder if Brooks is carrying Sather's water when it comes to negotiating with players. We all witnessed how the Dolan PR machine destroyed Callahan, so this could be the first shot at Stralman. But unlike Callahan's agent, Stralman's seems to be fighting back.

Original Post (3/9/14):Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that prior to the Olympics, Anton Stralman rejected an extension offer by the Rangers believed to be in the three-year, $9 million range.

Brooks adds that the two sides will continue negotiations in the offseason.

Stralman, who has just 1g, 7a this season, is in the final season of a contract that pays him $1.7 million per.

…is Stralman eff'n kidding me? He's supposedly an offensive defenseman who has ONE goal this season and he's rejecting an offer that almost double's his annual salary. And we thought Callahan was greedy?

…if I was Sather, I'd cut him right now for rejecting that offer, which was too generous to begin with.

…i don't know about you guys but I think Conor Allen could easily replace Stralman in the lineup, plus Sather would be saving his team a ton of money that could be used (trade or free agency) to bring in a legit #1 center.

Brooks also notes that a Stralman extension would put a further road block into Dylan McIlrath's path to the Rangers.

John Moore and Justin Faulk will be restricted free agents at the end of the season, while Raphael Diaz will join Stralman as an unrestricted free agent.

…the two games last weekend against the Flyers and Bruins showed a glaring need on defense for a stay-at-home physical defenseman who will punish anyone who comes near the crease. I'm still not convinced McIlrath is that guy and if the Rangers end up re-signing Stralman and Moore it proves that they're not either.

…unless Sather's plan is to let both Faulk and Diaz go and have McIlrath earn his way into the lineup as the seventh defenseman next season.